We’re all watching in horror as Nepal deals with an earthquake that has devastated the country. If you live there and have a Facebook account, you can let Facebook know you’re ok, and your friends and family will be notified. Conversely, if you have friends/family in the affected area, Facebook will let you know if they’ve checked in.

Google an the Red Cross have created sites and lists to notify friends and family as well.

This is just another indication of the new capabilities that technology affords us. We can keep people safe and give them the tools they need to carry out.

My own stories of technology making difficult times easier are very personal. I have to admit the last few weeks have been tough. Mom died on Easter last year. Mother’s Day is coming up, and that doesn’t help things. I suppose that’s why I’m writing this post… it’s about remembering Mom more than the disaster in Nepal.

When Mom started getting sick and tired from the cancer treatments, Papa took over household chores, including the paying of bills. The man had been forbidden to do laundry for as long as I could remember, and he had never seen the comings and goings of their finances. He used to hand Mom his paycheck and receive a kiss and a $20 bill for Snickers Bars. That’s as involved as he got.

So I set Pop up with his bank’s bill pay, and the transition was miraculously easy. Even today when he refers to payments, he says, “I used that system you set up for me.” Setting up bill pay is an incredibly small task, but it changed his life.

Technology helped Mom as well. Thinking that she’d like the ability to read news, check email and watch TV on demand in bed, I forced them to buy an iPad. It was mostly a toy for the grandkids until Mom’s speech started to go. Then she’d use the iPad to write what she wanted to say.

What personal stories do you have about how technology made things easier in a tough situation? I’ve told you my story… you tell me yours.